Month: March 2024

Jake Paul and Mike Tyson will fight in a live boxing match on Netflix. The streaming service announced in a press release Thursday that it has partnered with Paul’s ‘Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)’ for the match. For the opportunity to sign up for presale tickets, click here.

The former YouTuber and Tyson will meet in a “boxing mega-event” that will stream live exclusively on Netflix on July 20, taking place at AT&T Stadium, an 80,000-seat capacity venue in Arlington, Texas, and the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. The match will mark Paul’s most-anticipated fight to date and his second fight of 2024, following his knockout against professional boxer Ryan Bourland on March 2.

Paul, 27, said in a statement: “It’s crazy to think that in my second pro fight, I went viral for knocking out Nate Robinson on Mike Tyson’s undercard. Now, less than four years later, I’m stepping up to face Tyson myself to see if I have what it takes to beat one of boxing’s most notorious fighters and biggest icons … Whether you’re tuning in on Netflix or showing out in person, whether you’re team Paul or team Tyson, or whether you’re a lifelong boxing fan or watching your first fight, you’re not going to want to miss this event … My sights are set on becoming a world champion, and now I have a chance to prove myself against the greatest heavyweight champion ever, the baddest man on the planet and the most dangerous boxer of all time. This will be the fight of a lifetime.”

The 57-year-old Tyson is the former undisputed world heavyweight champion, said he’s “very much looking forward to stepping into the ring” with Paul, adding that “he’s [Paul] grown significantly as a boxer over the years, so it will be a lot of fun to see what the will and ambition of a ‘kid’ can do with the experience and aptitude of a GOAT. It’s a full circle moment that will be beyond thrilling to watch; as I started him off on his boxing journey on the undercard of my fight with Roy Jones and now I plan to finish him.”

Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) has not fought in an official pro match since 2005, and lost his final two matches. He reigned as the undisputed heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990, and regaining two title belts in 1996.

Editorial credit: Leonard Zhukovsky / Shutterstock.com

Minnesota Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns has a torn meniscus in his left knee and will be sidelined indefinitely. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Towns, 28, was officially listed as out for Thursday’s game against the Indiana Pacers with left knee soreness, calling it a “meniscus injury,” rather than a tear. It’s unclear how long Towns will be out and it’s possible that “immediate action” won’t be necessary.

According to The Athletic, if the center-forward requires surgery and misses the remainder of the season, it would be a significant blow to the Wolves’ chances of making the playoffs. Towns has spent the last 24 hours gathering opinions on his injury.

Towns logged just 21 minutes in the Timberwolves’ win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday in Minneapolis; he is averaging 22.1 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists through 60 games this season. The four-time All-Star averaged 22.9 points, 10.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists through his first nine seasons, but was limited to just 29 games last season because of a calf injury.

Editorial credit: Ringo Chium / Shutterstock.com

The Washington Capitals announced on Wednesday that defenseman Rasmus Sandin has signed to a five-year, $23 million contract extension, bringing him through the 2028-29 campaign. Sandin’s new deal carries an average annual value of $4.6 million.

The Washington Capitals posted on X a video clip interviewing Sandin, captioned: “From when I got here about a year ago, it’s a place that is very easy to fall in love with.” @Rasmussandin chats with @VogsCaps fresh off signing his five-year contract extension almost a year to the day he made his Capitals debut. #ALLCAPS”  In the video clip, Sandin shared: “It feels great to have it done. I’m very excited to be here for another five years.”

Sandin, 23, entered the league as the No. 29 overall pick by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2018 NHL Draft, joining the Capitals via trade in February 2023. He logged 16 goals and 67 assists through his first 211 career appearances, with the Swedish defenseman totaling seven goals and 28 assists in 71 games last season (including 52 appearances with the Maple Leafs and 19 with the Capitals).  This season, Sandin has totaled three goals and 17 assists through 52 games for the Capitals (28-23-9), who sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference’s Metropolitan Division.

The Capitals will next face the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday at 7 p.m. EST in Pittsburgh.

Editorial credit: The Bold Bureau / Shutterstock.com

The NBA announced on Wednesday that the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets are the two teams that will play in the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2024 this October. This year’s NBA Abu Dhabi Games is the third edition of the series, and for 2024 it will have two-time Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic squaring off against five-time All-Star Jayson Tatum in a pair of preseason games that’ll be played Oct. 4 and Oct. 6, airing live throughout the United Arab Emirates and around the world.

Mark Tatum, the NBA’s deputy commissioner, said in a press release: “We’re excited to bring two of the best teams in the NBA to Abu Dhabi in the Celtics and the Nuggets. here is incredible momentum around basketball in the UAE and across the Middle East, and we believe these games as well as our year-round grassroots development and fan engagement efforts will be a catalyst for the continued growth of the game in the region.”   NBA games started airing in the United Arab Emirates during the 1987-88. The NBA said that broadcasts of Abu Dhabi preseason games will reach more than 200 countries and territories on TV, digital media and social media.

Celtics president Rich Gotham said in a news release that “the Boston Celtics have a rich history of international travel and countless fans worldwide, and we welcome this opportunity to play for NBA fans in Abu Dhabi. Basketball is a truly worldwide sport, and international events such as these can help inspire generations of fans across the globe.”

Josh Kroenke, vice chairman of Korenke Sports & Entertainment, who operate the Nuggets, shared: “the Denver Nuggets organization couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to visit and play NBA games in Abu Dhabi this coming preseason. We look forward to this unique experience and being able to help expand the global reach of our great league.”

The defending champion Nuggets will host the Celtics at 10 p.m. EST Thursday in Denver.

Editorial credit: Aligator Pro / Shutterstock.com